Opening Song

God’s Spirit is in my heart
He has called me and set me apart
This is what I have to do
What I have to do:
He sent me to bring the good news to the poor
Tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more
Tell blind people that they can see
And set the downtrodden free
And go tell everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come (x2)

Introduction

The 18th of October is European Day against Human Trafficking. All across Europe, people are praying for an end to human trafficking, which has been called modern-day slavery. Gathered here together, we pray for the thousands of women, men, boys and girls who have been trafficked into and out of and across Europe.

We pray for people trafficked for forced labour in houses of the rich, in shops and bars, in forests and factories.

Response: Lord, free them and heal them.

We pray for people trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Response

We pray for people trafficked for forced begging.
Response

We pray for people trafficked for theft of their organs.
Response

We pray for people trafficked to sell drugs.
Response

We pray for all victims of human trafficking, in all its forms
Response

Pause for private reflection

Together we pray

Jesus, Companion of the Trafficked,
Every hour of the day, traffickers lurk and prey
On the innocent and most vulnerable of our society
The abused and the runaway girls and boys,
The homeless and the transgender youth,
The migrants and the refugees.

Jesus, companion of the Trafficked,
Show us how to be one with
Our trafficked sisters and brothers.
Breathe into us their sorrows and losses
Breathe into us their fears and despair
Breathe into us their exhaustion and hunger.
Breathe into us their shame and humiliation
Breathe into us their shattered trust in humanity.
Breathe into us their fragile hope to remain alive.

Jesus, Companion of the trafficked,
As we carry their suffering,
May we be more vigilant protectors
Of all trafficked victims and survivors.
May people from every corner of the world
Work to hold traffickers and consumers accountable
For this crime of modern-day slavery.
Amen (Dianna Ortiz OSU)

Pause for private reflection

Psalm 31

Lord, I trust in you alone.
Do not let my enemies defeat me.
Rescue me for you are the God who always does what is right.
Answer quickly when I cry to you;
bend low and hear my whispered plea.
Be for me a great rock of safety from my foes.
Yes, you are my rock and my fortress, the only one I can trust in.
Honour your name by leading me out of this peril.
Pull me from the prison in which my enemies have trapped me,
For you are the only one who is strong enough to do so.
Into your hands, I commit my life.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit…………

Concluding Prayer (together)

Lord, we have made combating human trafficking part of our ministry. Help us to work ever more diligently in this sacred task and to find new and creative ways to prevent and fight the trafficking of human beings, beloved children of You, Our Heavenly Father. May our Mother Mary, our hold founders and patron saints intercede for us.  May your Kingdom come all over the world.

Amen.